THINGS TO DO
Borsh Beach
The longest beach on the Albanian Riviera — some seven kilometres of sand and fine pebble under olive groves, with tavernas at the village end and open stretches beyond.
Beaches & Coast
Qeparo & Borsh
The Riviera’s quiet middle — a half-abandoned stone mountain village above its beach, the longest sand on the coast below, and Sopot castle guarding the hill in between.
QUICK INFORMATION
- COUNTRY
- Albania
- REGION
- Albanian Riviera
- BEST TIME TO VISIT
- June and September are the sweet stretch
- DURATION
- 1–2 days
ABOUT THE DESTINATION
Halfway between Himarë and Sarandë the Riviera slows down: Qeparo pairs a small seafront beach quarter with its old stone village on the hillside above — partly abandoned, wholly atmospheric — while Borsh a few kilometres south holds the longest uninterrupted beach on the coast, backed by olive groves famous since Ottoman times. Between them stands the Sopot castle hill. This is the stretch for travellers who want the Riviera’s water without its crowds.
MAP & LOCATION
Qeparo & Borsh
THROUGH THE LENS
From the road
HISTORY & CULTURE
The Story Behind the Place
The Qeparo–Borsh stretch has always lived off the plain between sea and mountain: olives above, fish below, and the road past Sopot castle connecting them to the world. Old Qeparo’s merchant houses and Borsh’s Ottoman-era groves grew on the same trade — oil across the strait — and both villages kept their churches and their Greek-Albanian double life through every border change. The 20th century emptied the hill village and collectivised the plain; tourism came late and gently, first as Borsh’s village-end beach bars, then as the restoration wave that made Old Qeparo the Riviera’s hill-village flagship. The 2025 promenade at lower Qeparo and the still-unfenced walls of Sopot tell the stretch’s whole character in two images: quietly modernising, proudly historic.
TOP THINGS TO DO
Experiences Not to Miss
TOP ATTRACTIONS
Sights & Highlights of Qeparo & Borsh
More here soon — the road is still being mapped.
FOOD & DRINK
WHERE TO EAT
01
Tavernas on the Qeparo seafront — grilled fish and garden vegetables dressed in the plain’s own olive oil.
02
Beach restaurants at the Borsh village end — seafood risotto, pizzas and slow lunches with the seven-kilometre beach in front.
HOTELS & STAYS
WHERE TO STAY
01
Restored guesthouses and villas in Old Qeparo — stone houses, orchard terraces and the coast’s quietest views.
02
Beach hotels and resorts at Borsh village — seafront pools and the long sand at the door.
ITINERARIES
Keep Driving
PLAN YOUR VISIT
Practical Information
Getting There
The villages sit on the SH8 — Qeparo 25 minutes south of Himarë, Borsh 10 minutes further, with Sarandë an hour south. Riviera buses and furgons stop at both lower villages; Old Qeparo needs the switchback drive or the 45-minute uphill walk. A car is the practical choice for Sopot castle, the grove tracks and cove-hopping.
What to Wear & Bring
Water shoes for the pebble beaches, walking shoes for the castle climb and grove tracks, cash for tavernas and camps, and a bottle for local olive oil — the plain’s signature purchase. Take water to Sopot; there is no shop at the castle.
Accessibility & Mobility
Both seafront quarters and the new Qeparo promenade are flat and step-free; Borsh’s village-end beach has road access and easy entry. Old Qeparo, Sopot castle and the cove paths are steep rough routes — the grove tracks are walkable but unsurfaced.
NEARBY ESSENTIALS
Services & practical stops nearby
Practical services and stops along the way — fuel, food, parking, campsites, medical and motorcycle services. Listings are compiled from published sources; confirm current opening dates, prices and facilities directly with each operator.
Carpe Diem Beach Bar & Restaurant
358 mFood
Borsh Beach (south end), Borsh, Albania
Polished beachfront restaurant and resort — seafood risotto, shrimp linguine, floating pier; official site live.
Sources checked: 4 Nov 2026
Carpe Diem Beach & Resort
358 mAccommodation
Borsh Beach (south end), Borsh, Albania
Borsh’s beachfront resort — rooms and suites over the sand, pool, floating pier and the restaurant below.
Sources checked: 4 Nov 2026
Blue Camping Borsh
Campsite
Borsh Beach, Borsh, Albania
Seaside camping and glamping on Borsh beach — tents, bell tents and facilities right on the longest beach of the Riviera; official site live.
Sources checked: 4 Nov 2026
Jungle Camping Borsh
Campsite
Borsh, Albania
Green, shaded tent camping by the beach — the laid-back jungle-garden alternative on the Borsh shore; tents for rent on site.
Sources checked: 4 Nov 2026
Luna Mare
457 mFood
Borsh Beach, Borsh, Albania
Seaside fish restaurant with pizza and pasta — consistently named among Borsh’s best tables; #2 on the 2025 ranking.
Sources checked: 4 Nov 2026
Hotel Qeparo
491 mAccommodation
Qeparo Fushë, Qeparo, Albania
Family hotel in the seafront quarter — simple sea-view rooms and taverna hospitality a step from the beach.
Sources checked: 4 Nov 2026
Ohana's Beach Borsh
557 mFood
Borsh Beach, Borsh, Albania
Ranked Borsh’s #1 (5.0, 275 reviews) — hidden beach spot with fresh seafood and the hospitality everyone mentions.
Sources checked: 4 Nov 2026
Taverna Dhrami
562 mFood
Qeparo Fushë (seafront), Qeparo, Albania
The seafront taverna of lower Qeparo — grilled fish and garden plates dressed in the plain’s own olive oil.
Sources checked: 4 Nov 2026
Qeparo Napolon Complex
567 mAccommodation
Qeparo Fushë, Qeparo, Albania
The seafront complex of lower Qeparo — rooms by the beach and promenade, the practical base for the hill village walks.
Sources checked: 4 Nov 2026
Villa Olive Old Qeparo
938 mAccommodation
Old Qeparo (Fshat), Qeparo, Albania
Restored villa in the old stone village — orchard terraces, silence and the coast’s best evening views, 10 min drive above the sea.
Sources checked: 4 Nov 2026
WEATHER
Qeparo & Borsh — Current conditions & forecast
Forecast data from Open-Meteo. Updated regularly.
TRAVEL GUIDES · STORIES
More here soon — the road is still being mapped.
NEARBY DESTINATIONS
Continue the Journey
.jpg?width=400)
INTERESTS
Explore by what you love
REGIONS
Explore the region
COUNTRIES
Explore the country
MORE TO EXPLORE
Keep exploring
The atlas goes on — more destinations, stories and road trips from every corner of the world.